Turtle Pretzel Bites are quick and easy to whip up and make the perfect holiday gifts. Switch them up with Almond Joy, Snickers and other flavors depending on what you have in your pantry! Plus video!
Along with the cookies, cakes and cupcakes I’ve already made with more to come, I included a few easy and classic goodies for our friends and neighbors’ gift baskets.
Turtle Pretzel Bites are possibly the easiest little holiday treats with just a handful of ingredients and only 10 minutes of prep time.
They are also simple to customize depending on what you have on hand. I switched things up with a few of them by making:
Almond Joy Pretzel Bites with toasted almonds, shredded coconut and melted chocolate;
Snickers Pretzel Bites with honey roasted peanuts and drizzled chocolate;
Christmas Pretzel Bites with green candy melts and & mini Red M&Ms or a red heart sprinkle to resemble the Grinch. Then I swapped in walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios and Macadamia nuts.
Each one of these versions starts off with a small pretzel topped with a soft caramel candy.
Heat them in the oven for about 3 minutes until the caramel gets soft then place a chocolate candy melt over and pop the tray back in the oven for another minute or so. Remove the tray from the oven and top with pecan halves, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, Macadamia nuts, mini M&M’s, shredded coconut or anything else you have in your pantry.
Turtle Pretzel Bites are quick and easy to whip up and make the perfect holiday gifts. Switch them up with Almond Joy, Snickers and other flavors depending on what you have in your pantry!
10 minPrep Time
5 minCook Time
15 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
Small pretzels (I used a mix of waffle and twists)
Soft caramel squares, unwrapped
Milk chocolate candy melts (or green candy melts for the Christmas Version and white candy melts for the snowman)
Various nuts or topping choices:Pecan halves, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, Macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Hershey's kisses, Rolos, M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, shredded coconut, red heart sprinkles etc.
Optional: Melted chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Place pretzels on a single even layer. Top with unwrapped caramel candies.
- Place the pan into the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes or until the caramels become soft. Watch the caramels carefully so they do not melt completely into puddles. Different brands of caramel will melt at different times.
- Remove pan from oven and immediately press a chocolate candy melt (or Hershey's Kisses) over caramel. Return pan back into the oven for just 1 minute.
- Remove pan from oven and take a pecan, nut or topping of your choice and gently press it right into the center of the chocolate candy.
- Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.
- For the Almond Joy Version:Place one Almond on top of the chocolate candy melt, then immediately sprinkle sweetened shredded coconut around the edges. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
- For the Snickers Version:Place one Honey Roasted Peanut on top of candy melt and sprinkle sides with chopped peanuts. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
- For the Christmas or Grinch Version:Place green candy melt over gooey caramel square. Top with mini red M&M's or red heart sprinkle.
- For the Turtles: Use pecan halves and drizzle melted chocolate
- For the snowman: Use white chocolate melt, blue non-pareil sprinkles for the eyes, orange jimmies sprinkles for the nose and black cut licorice
- For the Hershey's Kisses: Top with milk chocolate, peppermint, cookies & cream or any Hershey's Kisses
- For the Rolos - top with a Rolo candy
More cookie platter ideas:
Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies – 7 Ways
Peppermint Stuffed Snowball Cookies
